Doctor Who_ Empire of Death - BBC Worldwide [23]
'I am very pleased to meet you, sir.'
'Call me the Doctor - everyone does. This is my travelling companion, Nyssa.'
James shifted his attention to me and the nausea swept through me again. 'You shouldn't worry, Nyssa,' a voice said.
'I'm in a better place now, a happier place. You'll see.' I could see James's lips moving but the voice could only be that of one person - Adric.'
That must have been when I lost consciousness.
Doulton felt the introductions were going well until Lees began talking to Lady Nyssa. The lad's voice appeared to change, becoming one the general did not recognise. Lady Nyssa and the Doctor were plainly shaken by this manifestation and the young woman fell to the floor in a swoon. She cracked her head against the cold marble underfoot and lay quite still. Lees stumbled back, suddenly unsure of himself. 'I'm sorry, I - I don't know what came over me then. Normally such manifestations only occur in the confines of the séance...’
The Baroness took hold of her ward and led him aside.
Doulton could hear her hissing angrily at the young man.
'What do you think you are doing? You've put that poor woman into shock with your antics!'
'They're not antics,' Lees protested quietly. told you, I'm losing control of this!' Von Luckner noticed the general's close attention to their conversation and said no more, glaring at him.
Meanwhile, the Doctor was examining Nyssa. He picked up a slim notebook that was lying open beside her and pocketed it. 'I'm afraid it may be some time before she regains consciousness. Is there somewhere she could be moved to while she recovers?'
The Queen took charge of the situation. 'You shall return with us to Windsor Castle. We should like to know more about these investigations you mention. Before you arrived we experienced a strange phenomenon of our own, not dissimilar to that which has laid low Lady Nyssa. We should like you to travel back in our carriage.'
'Most gracious, Your Majesty.' The Doctor stood up and bowed to the Queen, before shifting his gaze to the general.
'Perhaps someone could look after the welfare of my companion...'
'Of course - it shall be seen to at once.' Doulton began making the necessary arrangements while listening to the Queen's next words.
'Doctor, there is something of kindred spirits about you and Lady Nyssa, as if you have both recently suffered a great loss.'
'Two losses, Your Majesty,' the Doctor admitted.
'We thought so. You are plainly still haunted by those absences, as we have been mourning our own. We shall have much to talk about?
The Doctor bowed again. 'Your Majesty is too kind.'
During the carriage journey Victoria related the evening's events in precise detail. The Doctor listened intently, occasionally prompting her with further enquiries. Only when the tale was told did he seek any clarification. 'You mentioned the voice of the Royal Consort, Prince Albert, speaking of a passageway between this world and the next, ma'am. Could you recall for me the precise way he described this place?'
The Queen closed her eyes and began, slowly, to intone the words she had heard during the séance. ‘ “There is a place where the distance between this life and the next is at its narrowest, where the pull of the spirit world is strong. You must open up this gateway and send an envoy to the Other Side. But you must hurry - soon my soul will have made the transition and our chance will have passed. You must send this boy back -" ' The Queen opened her eyes again. 'That was the last thing our beloved husband said before we were interrupted by your arrival. What will be your next step, Doctor?'
'My first concern is the welfare of my companion.
Tomorrow I wish to learn more about Master James Lees and his guardian, and the location of this gateway.'
'A wise course of action. Our private secretary has been determining the validity of Baroness Von Luckner's bona fides. We expect his report in the morning.' The Queen fell silent again, offering one last comment before they reached their destination. 'We